Stephen Morgan links up with Portsmouth City of Sanctuary charity supporting asylum seekers

Stephen Morgan, Portsmouth South MP, met with refugees while attending a Portsmouth City of Sanctuary meeting.

Portsmouth City of Sanctuary runs several projects which assist with the ongoing challenges faced by asylum seekers.

This includes initiatives which promotes integration, reduces social isolation, build skills, and offer volunteering opportunities.

Stephen Morgan said: ‘The work Portsmouth City of Sanctuary is doing is vital, helping to ensure the city plays its part to support those fleeing persecution.

‘It was useful to meet with asylum seekers here in Portsmouth, and speaking to them it is clear government needs to do more to support them and their families, who have been forced into such desperate circumstances.’

Mr Morgan also met up with the charity’s founder Shamila Dhana, discussing the challenges refugees face in the city.

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Portsmouth City of Sanctuary currently runs gardening and bicycle projects, with the MP encouraging local residents to donate bikes for women and to volunteer with their with English classes.

The government has announced plans to deport refugees to Rwanda for processing, which Mr Morgan is vehemently against.

He said: ‘The proposal to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda is a desperate and shameful attempt by Mr Johnson to distract from his own law breaking.

‘It is an unworkable, unethical and extortionate policy that would cost the UK taxpayer billions of pounds during a cost-of-living crisis, and would make it harder not easier to get fast and fair asylum decisions.’